5 min read
This interior painting checklist is the one we send to customers across North Dublin before we start a job, because a well-prepared house is a faster, cheaper and tidier job for everyone. Work through it before your painter arrives in Balbriggan, Swords or anywhere nearby and you will avoid the small delays that turn a two-day room into a three-day one.
Before the painter arrives
Anything you move yourself is time you are not paying for. Small items, ornaments, books and electronics should be out of the room entirely. Large furniture can stay if it can be pulled to the centre and covered, but tell us in advance if something is fragile or too heavy to shift.
- —Clear small items, shelves and wall hangings
- —Take down curtains, blinds and pelmets where possible
- —Note any known damp, leaks or previous water damage
- —Confirm colours and finishes in writing before day one
- —Plan parking and access, especially on terraced streets
Decisions to lock in early
Colour changes mid-job are the single most common cause of a job overrunning. Get sample pots on the wall, look at them in morning and evening light, and confirm before the first coat. Also decide finishes: matt for ceilings, a washable matt or eggshell for high-traffic walls and hallways, and satinwood or eggshell rather than full gloss for modern woodwork.
After the job — protecting the finish
Emulsion is touch-dry in hours but takes up to two weeks to fully cure. Avoid scrubbing walls in that period, refit fixings gently, and keep rooms ventilated so moisture escapes rather than sitting on fresh paint. We leave labelled touch-up paint with every job so small knocks can be fixed without a colour match.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need to move out while my house is painted?
- No. We work room by room so the house stays liveable, and modern low-odour water-based paints mean you can normally use a room the same evening it is finished.
- How long before I can hang pictures on a freshly painted wall?
- Wait at least a few days, and longer in cold or damp weather, so the paint has hardened and fixings do not pull the film.